Sixteen years into his MLB career, pitcher Craig Kimbrel's journey has reportedly come full circle.
Kimbrel is signing a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, according to a Tuesday afternoon report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The nine-time All-Star—who will turn 37 on May 28—began his career with the Braves in 2010. With Atlanta, he embarked one of the most dominant runs by any closer in history—saving 46, 42, 50 and 47 games from 2011 to '14, respectively.
In 2024, Kimbrel pitched for the Baltimore Orioles, going 7-5 with 23 saves and a 5.33 ERA; he did strike out 73 batters in 52 1/3 innings.
Free-agent reliever Craig Kimbrel heading back to where he started. In agreement with Braves on minor-league deal, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 18, 2025
Kimbrel has saved 440 games in his career, the fifth-highest total in baseball history. He is seven saves behind Los Angeles Angels pitcher Kenley Jansen for fourth all-time.
The Braves are scheduled to open the 2025 season on March 27 against the San Diego Padres.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Craig Kimbrel Returns to Braves on Minor League Contract.